Feb. 26, 2003

Samford will host cross-town rival UAB at 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field in a nonconference baseball contest. The Bulldogs snapped its seven-game losing streak picking up a win in the rubber game of the three-game series with Jacksonville in the Atlantic Sun Opener for both teams. The Bulldogs enter Wednesday's game with cross-town rival UAB looking for their second straight win before having this weekend off.

Against Jacksonville, senior pitcher Ehren Wassermann allowed only two earned runs in seven innings while striking out five to pick up his first win of the season. Junior catcher Eric Hollis went 6-for-12 with two runs scored and three RBI against the Dolphins. Red-shirt outfielder Matt Alling finished the series 4-for-12 with three runs scored and two RBI. Alling leads the team hitting .394.

UAB is off to its best start since 1990 at 9-0. The Blazers are coming off a 12-0 win over Alabma State Tuesday. Steve Martin went 2-for-4 while designated hitter Matt Womble hit a three-run home run as Blazers scored 12 runs on nine hits. Chris Thorup, Lyle Northington and Allen West combined for a three-hit shutout and eight strikeouts. UAB has also posted wins over Mississippi Valley State, Birmingham-Southern and Ball State. Mitch Jones leads the team hitting .484 with three home runs and 11 RBI. Kyle Leon is batting .424 with three home runs and 19 RBI. As a team, the Blazers have a compiled a .336 batting average and a 2.75 team ERA.

Last Time against UAB, Ehren Wassermann struck out a career-high eight batters and held UAB to two runs over 7 2/3 innings as Samford defeated the Blazers, 6-2 at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Samford (18-14) completed the season sweep of UAB (8-20) after defeating the Blazers for the second time in seven days. Wassermann, in only his third start of the season, gave up only six hits to pick up his third win of the season before giving way to Robert Evans in the eighth. Andre Parks, the first of five UAB pitchers, took the loss. Samford battered UAB pitchers for 15 hits, leaving 10 runners on base.

Samford is 5-4 against UAB under Tim Parenton sweeping last season's series, 8-3 and 6-2.

Freshman right-hander Chandler Tidwell will make his first career start against the Blazers.

The Bulldogs have the weekend off before playing five home games next week. Samford hosts No. 18 Auburn Tuesday and instate rival Alabama A&M Wednesday. The Bulldogs return to Atlantic Sun Conference play next weekend when they host Campbell in a three-game series.